Valley rancher relies on nature

LAKEVILLE, KINGS COUNTY – Valley businessman Alex Varner finds working on his 78-hectare farm and caring for 80 head of Highland cattle restful.

“Some people take vacations or play golf to get away from the stress of their job,” Varner said as he leaned over a fence post and peacefully watched his herd.

“To me, this is my stress relief. I really love coming to the farm and working. I actually find it relaxing.”

Maybe the reason Varner can relax is because he has found a natural way to farm that lets the cattle do most of the work. The result is fertile fields and a stress-free healthy lifestyle for the herd.

Varner and his wife, Lauretta, own and operate Hampton House Furniture in New Minas. They bought the Lakeville farm in 2005 as a retirement property. At that time, the acreage contained neglected fields and unwanted apple orchards. Both Alex and Lauretta, a former nutritionist, believe in the health benefits of naturally grown foods, including the food for their cattle.

Today, the orchards are mostly gone because the Highlands love to clean their long horns on the branches and have systematically worn the old apple trees down. The pastures are lush with local grasses that have regenerated naturally.

Varner said it took some time for everything to come back on its own.

But with the help of the cows doing the fertilizing, and a strict rotation schedule to ensure young tender weeds would also be eaten, the pastures have flourished.

Leave it to nature describes the lifestyle of the cattle on the farm. The only food they get is grass and the herd is rotated from pasture to pasture every day.

The cattle drink mountain spring water.

“In the winter, I put bales of hay out over fresh area of snow. In the spring, we have a good coverage of waste hay and manure that is naturally distributed over the pasture,” Varner said.

Highland cattle have intrigued him for years.

“I was always familiar with the breed. We were in Scotland on business 10 years ago and were quite impressed with them,” he said.

The cattle grow to 400 kilograms market weight.

A smaller, slower growing animal, it takes three summers for them to reach a good size. They are easily identified by their long curved horns and thick shaggy coat.

“The meat is a good product. There are beneficial health qualities to it,” Varner said.

The high-protein Highland beef has 60 per cent less fat and 25 per cent less cholesterol than regular beef.

The Varners have found that more people want to reduce fat in their diet but prefer to continue eating meat.

To serve this growing clientele, they market 20 to 25 head each year. Because of the low fat content, the meat requires a little more care while cooking. It should be cooked slowly and usually requires the addition of a little water.

Varner explained that the meat tastes a little different than regular beef but it’s “not enough to turn anyone off.”

The price of his beef can run 10 to 20 per cent higher than grocery story beef but Varner said consumers should compare it to high-end, grass-fed products.

Meanwhile, the farm offers a nice break from running a commercial business.

“I like to see the land coming back and flourishing,” Varner said. “This is relaxing to me.”